The present invention generally relates to incarceration facilities and in particularly to such a facility which deters or is resistant to prisoners escape, suicide, fire, predator and prohibited acts. The facility is designed in a radial pattern with a facility center point control center, pod or tower. The design being referred to as a radial omni-view.
Incarceration facilities are used to detain persons who have been accused of or convicted of crimes in a relative degree of security for the type of crimes committed thus the facilities can be of medium or maximum security. Maximum security incarceration facilities typically receive criminals of high risk because of their potential escape and danger to society. Current facilities design consistently requires relatively high ratios of guards to inmates. Construction of such maximum security facilities relatively escape resistant does not appear possible utilizing current designs.
Contemporary rectilinear designs require numerous staff intensive Duty Stations (a Duty Station is where at least one staff is continuously on duty, seven days, twenty-four hours per day and three-hundred-sixty-five days per year). It is accepted practice to assign five point one (5.1) staff per duty station to properly surveil all inmates.
Contemporary rectilinear design requires up to eight 24 hour duty stations while the present invention, radial omni-view design only requires one and includes perimeter security as well. The importance of the present invention can best be appreciated by considering approximately eighty percent of total cost of contemporary rectilinear correctional facilities over thirty years is for staff.
Continuous increases in prison population and court ordered reduction in prison overcrowding has exacerbated the dilemma of adequate incarceration facilities.
The increase in the number and capacity of incarceration facilities portend extensive facilities and staff greatly increasing the cost associated with incarceration of persons under the criminal justice system. From the late 1800""s numerous incarceration facility designs have been promoted for example, circular type jail construction.
Previous circular type jail construction has afforded a limited degree of reduction in the staff or increase efficiency of staff to properly supervise and surveil inmates, to decrease blind spots in the jail cells and to limit the time the inmates are not under surveillance because of the cell design arrangement.
U.S. Pat. No. 244,358 issued to Brown, et al describes a high security rotating cell arrangement in which the cells are closed at all times except when opposite a general entry door. Further, no escape can be effected except by cutting through the stationary solid grating surrounding the cells which are necessarily being moved from one position to another which lessens that opportunity. A corridor surrounds the exterior of the circular cells with the heavy grating. Unfortunately, this arrangement does not afford constant surveillance of the inmates from a central point.
U.S. Pat. No. 516,450 issued to Salfield, et al describes a semicircular jail construction with a central control room with the cells arranged radially around a corridor between the cells and the central control room. Between cells are aisles which are under surveillance from the central control room and entry to the cells are diametrically opposed along the aisle, such that the inmates in a cell can not view the inmates of the adjacent cell across the aisle. Unfortunately, this arrangement does not allow the guard in the central control room to view the inmates in their cells.
U.S. Pat. No. 729,913 issued to Angell discloses a circular design building construction for a group of stores or apartments for other purposes which guard against fire or burglary at minimum expense. Central to the building which houses the utilities including a cistern, cellar for storing fuel, a machinery room, a room for a guard or a watchman and a water tank at the upper most level. The building construction discloses no particular arrangement of the interiors of the stores or apartments. Such a construction would be unsuitable to serve as an incarceration facility for criminals.
An incarceration facility in accordance with the present invention comprises a circular arrangement of cells, work and exercise yard, classrooms, security hall access, a sub-level outdoor courtyard work area which may be observed from the omni-view control center providing a radial view of the incarceration facility.
An object of the radial omni-view cell arrangement includes a series of cells designed to house as few as one inmate (maximum security) or as many as thirty-two or more inmates (medium security) with all the interior load bearing walls in radial alignment to the control center observation post where all in cell activities are in full view and observable including personal hygiene facilities having translucent walls which provide a degree of modesty but permitting appropriate observation of the inmates when attending to personal hygiene matters, hence, the inmates are under constant surveillance. As appropriate, the arrangement provides individual inmates a personal space platform which contains a combination computer-high definition color television for educational use, personal valuables locker with suitable lock, a clothing locker, book shelves, appropriate bedding, lights, waste basket and a telephone jack.
In the central area of the cell are recessed washer/dryer units. Walls support a personal table and seat for each inmate. In this arrangement with the radial omni-view 100% surveillance system of all areas of the cell at all times provides a suicide, escape, fire, predator and prohibited acts resistant facility.
Another objective of the radial omni-view incarceration facility includes the provision of classrooms, outdoor recreational area and a sub-level outdoor courtyard work area which are maintained 100% under surveillance along with all the cells from the control center room. The radial omni-view control center is one way mirrored, includes a 360xc2x0 field of view of the entire facility and may be provided with a closed circuit television recording, including time and date stamp backup, of every cell, every hour of every day.
Further object of the invention is to provide a maximum degree of surveillance of inmates in all phases of their daily activities with a minimum of security officers. Staff may be directed by radio or other appropriate means from the facility control center, thus prison officials, educational instructors, exercise yard supervisors and the prison work force staff can concern themselves with controlling the normal ongoing activities under their supervision.